Twenty-nine percent of employers have caught fake references on candidate applications, according to a survey from CareerBuilder.

Twenty-nine percent of employers have caught fake references on candidate applications, according to a survey from CareerBuilder. Additionally, 62 percent said that when they contacted a reference listed on an application, the reference didn't have good things to say about the candidate.

Other findings include:

Fifteen percent of workers reported that they have listed someone as a reference, but didn't tell that person.

Eighty percent of employers said they do contact references when evaluating potential employees. Sixteen percent of these employers will contact references even before they call the candidate for a job interview.

Sixty-nine percent of employers said they have changed their minds about a candidate after speaking with a reference, with 47 percent reporting they had a less favorable opinion and 23 percent reporting they had a more favorable opinion. Thirty-one percent said references haven't swayed their decisions on a candidate.